JODY DODD
Dodd is part of the Occupy Philly legal collective. The webpage http://www.occupyphillymedia.org features more information including a video “Eviction – What the Mainstream Media Failed to Show the World.”

ERNESTO ARCE, http://www.kpfk.org
Arce is a news producer for KPFK in Los Angeles and is the Southern California Bureau Chief for the Pacifica Evening News. He said today: “Although city officials praised what they called a mostly peaceful action, legal observers say the initial raid was unnecessarily rough. The eviction raised media access issues since only a select group of reporters was allowed to enter City Hall park.

“Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck gave me his word that the department’s action would be carried out in a humane way and without any surprises. This morning’s action seemed to contradict that pledge. Several hundred LAPD officers rushed the south steps of L.A. City Hall literally running over peaceful activists. Some protesters say they were caught by surprise, were corralled into the center of the park and did not hear either an order to disperse or the declaration of an unlawful assembly.

Arce added: “While city leaders lauded the police’s action, it’s clear that LAPD once again resorted to heavy-handed tactics. More than 200 people were arrested early this morning during the eviction of Occupy LA. Hundreds of Los Angeles police officers rushed out from all sides of City Hall shortly after midnight and surrounded protesters. LAPD says more than 1400 officers brought in on 30 metro buses took part in the massive operation.”